Thrust From the Shadows
by Le Chat Qui Garde La Lune
Summary: Remus’ account of love, friendship, adventure & more at Hogwarts. Please give it a try, it's one of my better ones!
1. Love At First Sight...

Thrust Into the Shadows

Author: Le Chat Qui Garde La Lune

Author E-Mail: isabelle_belle_2002@yahoo.fr

Brief Summary: Remus' account of love, friendship, adventure & more at Hogwarts. 

Disclaimer: Harry Potter world and characters belong to J.K. Rowling. The idea of Chrestomanci is due to Diana Wynne Jones.

Chapter 1

They had been friends first. That was the way it had always been. He noticed her all the time, she and Lily Evans, huddled together doing their homework in a corner by the fire, very nearly touching. Lily's short red hair, and Mina's long, dark brown mixing together as they giggled over something, did their homework, or whispered.

Around their fifth year, James had begun to notice too, only, thank goodness he noticed Lily, and not Mina. Remus would have died if Mina had been looked at, or taken by James. 

James and Sirius admitted that she was pretty, but to Remus she was more than just another pretty face, she was beautiful. He had been watching her for almost six years when one night, the others started to notice.

Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter were playing Exploding Snap the night before summer vacation started, and their fifth year at Hogwarts drew to a close. They were feeling quite triumphant, having finished with their O.W.L.s and Final Exams. This particular evening, Sirius was yelling at Peter, who was accused of cheating, James and Remus took this opportunity to gaze longingly at the silhouetted images of their heart's desire. 

"Ahem! Calling Misters Remus J. Lupin, and James H. Potter back to the Planet Earth, **_with_** their lolling tongues and yearning eyes back to normal if you please?"

The few in the common room who heard this (including both Mina and Lily) laughed, while James, ever the girl-crazy youth shook it off, and Remus blushed and looked away. Now **this **was suicide and they all knew it. When confronted with Sirius, don't **_ever_**, **_EVER_** let him know you like someone. 

Remus mentally kicked himself. 

__

"Damn, here come the questions," he thought.

"Hey! What'd you do that for, they didn't know_ before!"_

"Well they're really pretty blind if they haven't noticed before, it has _been five years!"_ said another voice.

Remus ignored them, he _hated_ it when the voices in his head held a conversation while he was trying to think. Especially when he was trying to think about how to get out of the Marauders' interrogations.

__

"It's about time they found out!" said the first voice.

__

'It's about time **she **found out!" said the other voice.

Remus cut them off with an abrupt shake of his head. 

"Well I'm tired, and we go home tomorrow so, I'm off to bed!" he informed the Marauders, a cheerful, fake smile plastered on his face.

There was bitterness in his eyes, James noted, bitterness and sadness. He immediately jumped to his friend's defense. 

"Yeah, I'm beat too, see you guys." 

And without another word to the others, or to each other, the boys each ran up the steps to their dorms, and closed the red curtains surrounding their bed, falling asleep and dreaming of their loves.

© © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © 

Casually, Remus made is way to Flourish and Blotts, knowing that he was a good forty-five minutes early. Eagerly, he realized that there was a chance he would see Mina. Like Remus, most people came to Diagon Alley to shop for school supplies the weekend before the start of school. He was in luck! Coming out of Quality Quidditch Supplies right at that very moment. He would be able to say hello. 

Poor Remus was too shy to do more than say hello. Sometimes, when paired up with Mina in class (though this rarely happened) Remus stumbled over spells, and fudged up Potions ingredients. 

Suddenly, the bolder side of him took over. "If I could just plan it so that..."

****

***Crash!***

It didn't quite go as planned. Remus had tried to "accidentally bump into Mina, but instead he hit smack in the middle of both. Sending both of the girls' parcels flying.

"Oh no! Your present!" Were the first things Lily managed to gasp out.

"Ah yes," thought Remus, with a bitter shake of his head. That was another thing. He had bought a present for Mina for every one of her birthdays since Second Year. Her birthday was in two days, on September the First. The day they took the Express to Hogwarts. 

Remus shyly gave Mina a hand up while Lily scrounged around for Mina's present, and made sure it wasn't broken or hurt.

"Listen," he told the girls, "I'm really sorry, would you to like to join my friends and me for lunch?"

Lily and Mina exchanged a glance that clearly said, "James Potter!" and Remus sighed. His friend was always getting the girls. But he knew that Prongs would be happy if Lily came to lunch, and would be pleased to know how courageous Remus had been with Mina today.

"Yes James will be there." He informed them. 

The girls looked at him in astonishment, _how did he know?_

Remus almost laughed at their expressions. "It's been six years, I can recognize the symptoms of Potteritis by now you know." 

His face wore a wry smile. He knew Mina didn't like James, but the heat escaping from Lily was about 1000° 

"Come on!" he told them cheerfully, "Or we'll be late!" Of course, this wasn't true at all, he was still half an hour early, but, the girls didn't need to know that.

__

"What's wrong with me today?" Remus wondered to himself, as they walked through the alley, _"Where did my new-found courage come from?"_

Once seated in the Leaky Cauldron alone with the girls, Remus realized that his newfound confidence was only temporary. With the girls seated on one side of the long booth, and him on the other, he suddenly felt very, very alone, and very, _very_ nervous.

"So" he started out cautiously, "Where are you from Mina? I heard you came from a magical family, but I haven't ever heard of the Chants."

She smiled at him. She SMILED at him. SHE SMILED AT HIM!!! But of course this only made Remus blush, and Lily grind her elbow into Mina, who also blushed. Lily, who was obviously holding back laughter chose that moment to say

"Oh **_no! _**I think I left one of my parcels at Flourish and Blotts! I'd better go back now and fetch it!"

As she left, she winked at Remus.

Remus, still astonished, prompted Mina for an answer. 

"Where are you from?" he asked, his shyness returning

"Er, Wales."

"Really? He asked, curiosity taking over him.

"Why? What ever do your parents do there?"

"My father is Chrestomanci."

"Chrestomanci?"

"Yes, it's the title of the Enchanter who balances magic throughout the Related Worlds."

"Related Worlds?"

"Yes, there are twelve. Well, probably more, most likely hundreds, but no one can prove it."

This left Remus thoroughly confused. 

"Oh I see." He said, but he didn't.

He was saved soon after that by an explosion of people. Lily and James, talking together, along with Sirius, Peter, Frank Longbottom, and Mundungus Fletcher following close behind. 

They had a wonderful lunch. Remus and Mina talked throughout, and became fast friends (or more...) when it was over, they all made plans to meet at King's Cross early and snag an empty compartment (or two).

Outside it had turned from an slightly overcast day, to a horrible storm quite quickly. Remus and Mina wandered out to protected alleyway to wait for their parents to take them home.

Just as it was time to say goodbye, Remus asked Mina, "So, when's your birthday then?"

"September the First, the day we get on the train." She replied, smiling shyly at him.

__

Oh why did his knees always have turn to jelly when she did that?

He tried to give what he hoped was a dashing smile, in return, while saying, "Well I'll have to get you something for it then, won't I?"

"It doesn't matter," she said, smiling prettily at him.

__

"Always smiling..." one of the voices in his head said.

"Hey! I like it!" Remus told it.

"Maybe she likes you!" Said another voice.

Remus ignored the rest of the conversation the voices were having and replied quickly, so as not to ruin the moment.

"Of course it does! A friend's birthday always matters!"

"I'm a friend?" Mina asked

"Absolutely." Remus replied. 

__

Great, just when he was sure he was going to tell her that she was more, and he wanted her to be more, things like "Absolutely_" had to come out of his mouth and ruin it. Maybe there was still time to salvage the situation..._

"Well, bye Remus!" Mina said, upon seeing someone Remus assumed was her mother.

"Bye Mina! Remus said, leaving him shivering and giddy with joy.

A/N: Too many italics and bold words...**_I KNOW!!!!_** ;)

****

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE CHRESTOMANCI SERIES BY DIANA WYNNE JONES YOU MUST DO SO...NOW!!! :)

Not only will you know what I am talking about, but you will have read some of the best books on magic ever written. Highly recommended also is Howl's Moving Castle, and Castle In the Air by the same author.

(Just so you know though, Howl is MINE!!!) ;o)

Next Chapter out about tomorrow or so...


	2. Confused Emotions

**__**

This chapter is dedicated to both my Lupins, the ones I'll never be with *sniff* :'( 

I love you both!

Chapter Two

The next two days that Remus endured were the longest of his life, or so it seemed. When it finally was time to meet Mina on the train he was so overcome with nervousness he could barely manage an intelligible sentence.

"Hey Moony, what's wrong with you?" Sirius asked. You've been unusually quiet today, even more so than usual.

"Well it's been that time of month you know." James said, nonchalantly enough, but somehow Remus got the feeling that James knew what was going on.

As Peter and Sirius chatted on the way to the train, and James tried to keep his owl, Clavia, quiet so as not to disrupt or frighten any muggles, Remus studied James as if seeing him for the first time.

Thinking back to several days ago, remembering the interesting shade of red that James had turned when he saw Remus sitting with Mina and Lily, Remus began to suspect that he might like Lily, or worse Mina. For the first time it crossed Remus' mind that James might be in love. That he might be stricken with it almost as badly as Remus

As James looked up into Remus' calculating gaze he looked almost embarrassed. Quickly he said,

"Oh look! Frank, Mundungus, and Arabella! Guys, wait up!"

And of course all was soon forgotten in the joy of seeing old friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they were finally able to snag an empty compartment, Remus was able to talk to Mina at last, though he didn't want to give her his present in the chaotic excitement of the train. 

Later, as he and Mina were laughing softly at something Lily had said, Remus happened to look up, and saw James watching them. There was hurt in his friends eyes, and this frightened Remus. He had never seen his friend look hurt, what was it? Was it one of the girls? Or had he done something to hurt his best friend?

Remus did the first thing that came to his mind.

"James," he asked gently. "Would you like to join us?"

Wordlessly, Jams accepted. But Remus came to regret his offer, because James almost completely ignored the others, and spoke only to Mina for the entire rest of the trip. Leaving Remus to talk to Lily, whom he liked, but wasn't interested in like he was Mina.

By the end of the train ride and all through the sorting, feast, and the rest of the evening, Remus was feeling hurt and ignored by James. What had happened to his best friend?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Over the next morning's breakfast, Remus dejectedly opened his copy of _The Daily Prophet_, and quickly scanned the headlines, looking for any news of more killings from the latest powerful dark wizard, Voldemort.

What he saw hit closer to home than even Voldemort however. He glanced at Mina, and made up his mind to tell her. But how? He knew, he would ask Lily. The two of them had hit it off on the train, she was funny, and smart. 

Silently, he leaned over to Lily and whispered to her the horrible news. Out of the corner of his eye he could see both James and Mina looking at them.

After a tactful moment or two, Lily broke the horrible news to Mina, quietly, and gently.

Pretty soon Remus heard a wail.

"What!? He died? But, but that's impossible!" He saw Mina say, while on the verge of tears.

He decided that it was the right time to interrupt

"I'm afraid so, it says right here,

"T. Chant, Chrestomanci, Loses Life in Related World Accident!" Remus read from the Prophet, sympathetically. 

Poor Mina! He knew what it was like to lose a father. 

"Oh!" 

Lily and Mina both giggled, breaking through Remus' thoughts 

"Remus you dolt!" Lily said, rolling up the newspaper and swatting at him with it. She grinned good naturedly and said, "Don't scare me like that!"

Mina cut in, "Is that all?" she asked, obviously relieved.

"All?! Remus asked indignantly, "He's dead, it says right here, and you're sitting here laughing over it?!"

"I thought I explained to you that my father is Chrestomanci, Remus." Mina said quietly, clearly seeing that Remus was not amused the way she and Lily were. 

"You did, but that doesn't make him immortal!" Remus said confused. 

"Well, in a way it does." Explained Mina. "You see, to become Chrestomanci you must have nine lives. They're always Enchanters, born every generation. They grow up with instruction from the older one, and when a Chrestomanci retires, his trained replacement takes over."

"So why do these Chrestomanci people have nine lives when the rest if us have only one?" Remus asked.

"Well you see, most people have a duplicate of themselves in each of the Related Worlds, Chrestomanci's don't. Somehow, all of their lives end up in only one world." Mina told him, leaving Remus with what he thought was a start of understanding. This actually explained a lot about Mina. 

"So who's your father's replacement?" Remus asked casually, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"I am." Said Mina just as casually. Causing Remus to choke on his juice.

"You?" he asked, still spluttering. 

"Yes," she replied, smiling at him "Of course, I only came to Hogwarts because Father wanted me to learn magic with a wand. The Chrestomanci's before me have only used wandless magic, but father says it'll give me an edge, being able to use both. "

She took a breath and went on.

"It's very rare that a child with nine lives is born to a Chrestomanci, and it's even rarer that the child is a girl. Father says that he's hoping that I can become an even more powerful Enchantress by learning both kinds of magic, wandless and regular."

"Technically speaking, we don't even live in the same worl-"

She was cut off by Sirius, who asked, 

"Up for a game of exploding Snape anyone?"

"Exploding Snape?" James frowned, "Don't you mean Exploding Snap?"

"No." Said Sirius, a wicked grin forming on his handsome face, "I mean Exploding **_Snape_**."

Remus shrugged indifferently, but Mina and Lily seemed enthusiastic, so Remus decided to feign interest. He was starting to fall even more for Mina. How did she understand him so well, when she had only barely met him?

The thing that Remus hadn't even considered, was that maybe the silent watching, and yearning had been going both ways, instead of just one.

And there was another watching who had gotten things horribly wrong.

A/N: What will happen to Snape? Will he explode? Will Mina be a more powerful Enchantress than Dumbledore? (not likely) Will Remus EVER ask Mina out? What's the deal with James and Lily? And most important of all....

**__**

Why is Sirius single?

Next chapter out soon! (hopefully) though with AP European History and AP French, and all of my music stuff, it's not likely to be out for several weeks...-_- Ooh! I know, I'll write in Chemistry! It'll prevent me from falling asleep!...maybe. z_z

Chem reminds be of Potions, our teacher makes thing explode! Maybe my teacher will implode! Hope so, no more Chem class then!!!! 

Thanks to my 11 year old bro, who actually came up with something brilliant! (For a change ;) He came up with the Exploding Snape idea!!!

Love you André!

-Le Chat Qui Garde La Lune :o)


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